sign in sign up
<<
Home , Catholic epistles, Covenant (biblical), Jewish diaspora, Ketuvim, Nehemiah 1, Wisdom (personification)

Reading the as a

And Making Sense of It: Session One

St. Peter , August 4, 2019 Deacon Clarke E. Cochran Professor Peter Judge To Go Deeper…..

• Knowledge of Scripture = Knowledge of • Session One: • How do Catholics read and interpret ? • Is this similar to or different from other Bible readers? • What’s in the Bible? • How did the Old and New Testaments take the form they now have? • Next Week > Session Two: • What is the best English translation for me? • How is Scripture used during Mass? • Your Questions/Comments – handout card • Fall – of Matthew in 6 sessions (handout & Timeline)

Who, What, When, Where? ’s relationship with God’s people

• Two Central Events in ’s memory and history: • Exodus from & settlement in the Land (c. 13th cent. BCE) • in : loss & return to Land (6th cent. BCE)

• “God (YHWH) with us” acting in history

• A “testament” or “covenant” (before any writing) • a commitment, a relationship, a bond • (Genesis 6) • (Genesis 15 & 17) • and all of Israel (Exodus 19 & 34) [c. 1250 b.c.e.] • “I will be your God and you will be my people”

• Jeremiah could speak of a “” in heart [late 600s BCE] From Tradition to “Scripture”

Oral traditions about covenant experience with God preserved in written form. Prayers, Poetry, Songs Legends and folk tales Stories of Origins Genealogies Law Codes Court histories Prophetic oracles  sayings The Collection of Jewish Writings

Eventually collected as Israel’s Scriptures To ra h T Prophets (Nevi’im) N Writings () K  TaNaK Began to come together in late 6th century BCE, after Exile in Babylon TaNaK

• Torah • Genesis through Deuteronomy (1st five books) • Prophets Prophets • Former: Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings (Nevi’im) • Latter prophets: • Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel Writings • The Twelve: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, (Ketuvim) , Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, , Zechariah, • Writings • , Proverbs, , , Ruth, , Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, , , 1-2 Chronicles The (LXX)

Translated into Greek in the Jewish c. 250 BCE in , Egypt Additional writings not previously in Hebrew Tobit, Judith, additions to Esther, 1-, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus (), Baruch, , others These ARE included in RC & Orthodox NOT included in Protestant Bibles; often in “” section A different arrangement  Pentateuch (Torah)   Psalms & Wisdom  Prophets Christians use the Jewish Scriptures

• The Greek Septuagint (LXX) was the Scripture used by early Christians across the Mediterranean world. • When the NT writers quote Scripture they are usually quoting the Greek text. • All NT writings were in Greek.

Who, What, When, Where? What is the New Testament?

• Jesus of Nazareth (born no later than 4 BCE; died c. 30 CE) • preached covenant faithfulness • “attested … by God with deeds of power” (Peter in Acts 2:22) • “a new covenant in my blood”

• Put to death by Roman authorities at behest of Jewish leaders • Crucifixion • Experienced as alive in spite of death by followers • Resurrection • Proclaimed as the new bond between Israel’s God and people How did the New Testament come into being?

• Jesus did not produce any writings • First followers proclaimed their belief – expecting imminent end • 2nd generation begins to write • Letters • & Acts • Apocalypse (Revelation) • Later generations collect these writings as their own Scriptures • As now arranged, they tell the story of Jesus and his first followers • And reflect on the significance of Jesus. 27 Books

 Narratives:  Letters:  4 Gospels according to -  13 attributed to Paul  Matthew To: Romans, I & II Corinthians,  Mark Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I & II Thessalonians, I  Luke & II Timothy, , Philemon John  “Catholic” : James, I & II Peter, I, II, II John, Letter/Narrative Combination: Jude  Apocalypse of John (Revelation) Historical Understanding

• Paul’s letters are the earliest NT writings • Written in the 50’s – early 60’s • 1st Thessalonians, Galatians, Philippians, Philemon, 1st & 2nd Corinthians, and Romans considered authentically from Paul • Other letters attributed to Paul with more or less certainty • Letters attributed to others later in the 1st Century • Last 1/3 of the 1st Century – Gospels put the Christian message into the form of a “life” (bios ) of Jesus. • Acts = narrative of early Christian community. • Also late in 1st Century – Revelation > apocalyptic view. Why these books?

• Placed on a level with the Jewish Scriptures • Preserved & revered by the 2nd century • Considered to be of “apostolic” origin • Produced for; known & used by important & influential communities. • Conformed to the “rule of faith” • i.e. most consistent with what most Christians believed & understood. Catholic Interpretation of the Bible

• Scripture = part of a living, dynamic experience of God’s self-revelation

• Revelation = God’s gift of God’s own SELF in the experience of people • More than a collection of propositions

• TRUTH of God’s presence rather than truths about God

• God’s living WORD more than a collection of words • Scriptures are foundational and authoritative • YET the community (Israel & ) preceded & produced Scriptures

• NOT the other way around (= fundamentalism)

• Scripture and living Tradition support both continuity AND dynamic development of faith. Catholic Interpretation of the Bible

• Early interpreters comfortable with allegory and metaphor in the Bible (, Origen, Augustine, etc.) • Especially when a biblical statement did not connect with experience. • , notion of Four Senses of Scripture was embraced: • Literal (what the text says) • Allegorical (symbolic, deeper meaning – what should I believe?) • Moral (How should I behave?) • Anagogical (Where is my eternal destination?)

• E.g. = place, church, soul, heaven • Littera gesta docet, quid credas allegoria, moralia quid agas, quo tendas anagogia Catholic Interpretation of the Bible

• 19th Century: reactions to Enlightenment doubts & to questions posed by science (e.g., evolution) led to literalist tendencies • Pius XII – Divino Afflante Spiritu (September 30, 1943) • Catholic biblical scholars could embrace modern methods • Study “literary forms” used by biblical authors • Harmonize interpretation with secular sciences • Vatican II – Dei Verbum (1965) – opened Catholics to a new awareness of Scripture • Encouraged reading & promoted modern methods. Catholic Interpretation of the Bible

• Pontifical Biblical Commission further encouraged use of modern critical methods • 1964 – PBC Instruction concerning the Historical Truth of the Gospels • 1993 – PBC The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church • Thus, “literal sense” of Scripture = what biblical authors intended and conveyed to their audiences by the texts that they wrote. • Thus, biblical study uses tools of history, linguistics, archaeology, literary criticism, sociology, and more to interpret the Bible. • Our faith is informed by our use of these, but also guides it. Methods for reading and understanding

• Historical-critical methods: explore sources, genres, redactional/editorial or compositional practices • historical situations that help explain the texts. • also social scientific approaches & study of many manuscript variations.

• Literary methods: examine narrative, rhetorical, & linguistic features of texts • E.g. characterization, plot, rhetorical devices & structures.

• Theological methods: interpretation (hermeneutics) and the meaning of the text for contemporary readers. Session 2: Next Week

YOUR QUESTIONS/COMMENTS – NOTE CARDS What is the best English translation for me? How is Scripture used during Mass? Creation, Genesis, Science, & Literal Interpretation Bible and Catholic Social Teaching